The Coronavirus crisis has meant we are experiencing difficult and challenging times. For a few months now, social distancing has changed the way we work and interact with others, and it has also profoundly changed the practical ways we run our lives and businesses.
Experts say that some of the changes we’re seeing may end up permanent. According to an article in The Guardian newspaper, for example, “Covid-19 could permanently shift working patterns as companies forced to embrace remote working by the pandemic find that their employees do not want to return to the office once the closures are lifted.”
Whatever happens after the crisis is over, corporate events are due to become more important than ever before. A business event, where you meet face-to-face in an environment that’s very different from your usual workplace, helps bring employees together, builds solid relationships, spreads knowledge, and inspires people to greater things.
In a world where more of us than ever are working from home most of the time, how are businesses going to handle corporate events in future? Here are some predictions and insights from our expert event planners.
Outdoor venues will become more popular
How would you feel right now, being squashed into an interior space with a lot of other people? Even if they are your colleagues, you know them well and the worst of the Covid-19 crisis has passed – something we hope will happen soon – you might still find you’re feeling wary of large crowds.
We predict, at least for the initial post-lockdown period, that outdoor venues will prove very popular indeed for corporate events. Venues with outside space, after all, should mean it’s easier to arrange social distancing, and social distancing is something we’re expecting to carry on in some form or another, to some degree or other, for quite some time. Corporate summer events have always been popular amongst our clients and we expect the coronavirus crisis to further fuel the popularity of these types of events.
There are some fabulous venues that are either wholly outdoors, partially outdoors, or have gorgeous outdoor spaces for people to spill into – gardens, parks, woodland, roof terraces, verandas, parklands, that sort of thing.
What’s happening with 2020 corporate event bookings?
Some optimists say we should be free of lockdown before too long, but others are predicting most of 2020 will be a write-off. All the same, in our world, the signs are already looking good for bookings for Christmas 2020. Bookings are also on the up for 2021 as businesses rearrange their 2020 events for the coming year, leaving plenty of time between now and then to be on the safe side. Plenty of postponements are now taking place, with events re-arranged at later dates in the year or being moved to next year.
What are businesses doing in the meantime?
There have been some extraordinary technological advances recently, designed to help businesses stay in touch with their employees, suppliers, and partners. Video conferencing is absolutely huge right now. Also known as virtual events or digital events, we are seeing an increase in corporations enquiring about holding virtual events on platforms like Zoom. Of course, there’s nothing quite so good as meeting your colleagues in person, in a non-work environment, to celebrate together, learn together, and mark an important corporate milestone together.
We’ll help you prepare in good time
We hope to hear from you soon about your next corporate event. Hopefully, it’ll be an event designed to help your people celebrate the end of the Covid-19 crisis, or at least its easing. Either way we’re fully prepared to help you find the perfect venue, and we’ll be delighted to help make your corporate Christmas party 2020 or 2021 conference go with a swing. Give us a call on +44207 148 1665 and begin your preparations in good time.
About The Author: Levent Niyazi
Levent Niyazi is a prominent figure in the events industry with a rich experience spanning over two decades. In this time, he has masterminded numerous unforgettable events. As the visionary founder of Good Look Events, Levent has propelled the agency to become one of the UK's fastest-growing event agencies.
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